Famous American Racers
By Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette
Aviation Artist/Historian
1949 Thompson Trophy Winner, Cook Cleland
Print Size 12x18
Limited Edition $60.00 signed by Cook Cleland.
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Open Edition $14.95 signed by the artist only.
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"The Aviator!" Cook Cleland.
The 1949
Thompson Trophy Racer #94
Cook Cleland in his
youth watched Jimmy Doolittle and Roscoe Turner fly in air races and set his
dream to one-day fly such sleek powerful aircraft. In 1949 Cook Cleland entered the
Thompson Trophy for the fourth time. Cleland was flying #94, with teammate Dick
Becker flying #74, and Ben McKillan flying #57. Cleland qualifying at 407.21
MPH, and Becker 414.59 MPH. Cleland paid $2,818.00 for the above Corsair BUNO
14693, Civil Race #X5590N. In 1947, Dick Becker flew Cleland's racer #94 coming
in second place behind Cleland, who won the 1947 Thompson Trophy in #74.
18 inches were cut
off the wing tips of #94 in 1947. In 1948 Cleland and Becker had switched
aircraft. Cook was now flying #94 and Dick Becker was flying #74. They were
experimenting with a new Shell Oil formula fuel blended with Methyl Triptane.
Cleland #94 qualified at 417.42 MPH, which was the 2nd fastest speed in air
racing history. During that race Becker dropped out in the third lap. Cleland
also dropped out of the race in the fifth lap. Both aircraft experienced early
fuel detonation caused from the combination of the environmental conditions and
the experimental fuel. Carburetion backfire blew off the intake air scoops. The
chance to win the 1948 race was denied the racing duo.
Cook clipped 29
more inches off of each wing tip of #94 for the 1949 race. He capped off the
ends of the wings with stabilizing end plates that helped control his turns.
With 47 inches total cut off of each wing tip of the Corsair the glide ratio of
the aircraft seemed to be reduced to a 9 to 1 ratio. Cleland remarked, "It
was like flying a brick!"
Again the racing
duo was ready on Labor Day weekend in 1949 with high hopes of another success.
Cook was experimenting this year with a secret hydrogen peroxide formula.
Cook Cleland won
the Thompson Trophy in 1949 for the second time at a speed of 397.071 MPH and
beat his own world record for pylon racing from two years previous. That record
went unchallenged for 20 years. Ben McMillan finished in third place. Ron
Puckett in his own Goodyear F2G #18 finished in second place. Cleland won the
Thompson Trophy in 1947 and 1949, a record matched by only one other aviator.
Corsair F2G's
dominated the race winning first, second, and third in 1949. That was the only
year that one aircraft type held and won the first three positions. Cleland
said, "#94 was a go getting machine!"
The air races were
known for pure excitement for the spectators yet unforgiving and dangerous for
the participants. In 1947, 1948, and even in 1949 the race claimed the lives of air racing pilots. For this reason the racecourse was reduced in 1949 from
the prior 300 miles to 225 miles.
Cook remembers
those races as pure mental and physical stress as he pulled back on the aircraft
control stick with his feet locked into the rudder peddles in high "G"
sharp turns around the pylons. Cook was unable to look anywhere except straight
forward towards the next pylon where he would again bank his Corsair sideways
pulling the stick into his gut as he made his turn leveling out again giving him
temporary relief before his next near death turn.
The Pratt &
Whitney R-4360-4 engine powered the F2G. It had 28 cylinders in four rows of
seven cylinders each. It was the largest radial engine ever built. During the
race Cook found himself flying one of the fastest propeller driven aircraft
flown.
For Cook Cleland's
achievements in air racing he was also awarded the highest honor when he was
inducted into the Motor Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.
Photos of the Corsair Racer #94 in 1949.
You can see where Cook cut of the tips of the wings. They cut off 6 feet! This made the Corsair very unstable. It was virtually a flying torpedo.
The Pratt & Whitney R-4360-4 engine powered the F2G. It had 28 cylinders in four rows of seven cylinders each. It was the largest radial engine ever built. During the race Cook found himself flying one of the fastest propeller driven aircraft flown.
For Cook Cleland's achievements in air racing he was also awarded the highest honor when he was inducted into the Motor Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.
Cook in 1948 after he blew up the carburetor and was not able to enter the race that year.
The Winner! Cook Cleland!
Here are diagrams of the final aircraft modifications.
This is another rare color photo of Cook's F2G Corsair.
I am so lucky to have met Cook and that we became friends.
The Thompson Trophy
Buy a matching set of Limited Editions or Posters.
Go to Special Buys and consider a matching numbered set of Limited Edition Prints of the Famous Cleland Air Racers all signed and numbered by the Artist and autographed by Cook Cleland. Print sizes are 12x18" each.
Please review the other seventy aviators that we have worked with and interviewed in the Print Directory.
Here you will find Bomber pilots, Navy and Marines Aces, Canadians, French, German, and Japanese pilots.
Information about your favorite aircraft plus some stories I have added with special information I have discovered.
This is our Main Directory.
All research, writings and artwork are by Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette.
No one is permitted to republish any part of this story with out my personal permission.
Please call or e-mail me for any use of this story.
I do not mind sharing, just call or e-mail and ask for permission.
Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette
Aviation Artist/Historian
107 Arthur Moore Drive
Green Cove Springs, Florida 32043
Phone Number; 1-904-406-5791
E-Mail Address; aviationartstore@peoplepc.com
Posted 2-14-07
Edited some and added a counter on July 6, 2011.